Movie guide for June 20

Metro Creative Connection

By McClatchy News Service

Published: Thursday, June 20, 2013 at 10:01 AM.

OPENING IN HOLLYWOOD THIS WEEK

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“Aliyah” — A 27-year-old Parisian drug dealer tries to escape his life of crime by moving to Tel Aviv with his cousin but first must earn enough money to accomplish his aliyah, the formal process of Jewish immigration to Israel. With Pio Marmai, Adele Haenel and Cedric Kahn. Written by Elie Wajeman and Gaelle Mace. Directed by Wajeman. In French with English subtitles. (1:30) NR.

“Between Us” — Tensions mount when a pair of newlywed New Yorkers visit their old friends, a couple in the Midwest — and flare up again when the four reunite a few years later. With Taye Diggs, Melissa George and David Harbour. Written by Joe Hortua and Dan Mirvish. Directed by Mirvish. (1:31) NR.

“Call Me Kuchu” — A documentary following Ugandan gay-rights activist David Kato and retired Anglican Bishop Christopher Senyonjo as they work to defeat a bill threatening to make homophobia punishable by death. Directed by Katherine Fairfax Wright and Malika Zouhali-Worrall. In English and Luganda, with English subtitles. (1:27) NR.

“Far Out Isn’t Far Enough: The Tomi Ungerer Story” — A documentary about the life and work of the children’s book author and illustrator Tomi Ungerer. Directed by Brad Bernstein. (1:38) NR.

“A Hijacking” — When a Danish cargo ship is hijacked by Somali pirates in the Indian Ocean, the CEO of the shipping company engages in a grueling negotiation. With Soren Malling, Pilou Asbaek and Dar Salim. Written and directed by Tobias Lindholm. In Danish and English, with English subtitles. (1:39) R.

“L.A. Superheroes” — An aging model and actress in Los Angeles is forced to operate outside the law to get her green card and struggles to stay afloat with the help of her pizza-delivering best friend. With Yelena Popovic and Alexander Zisiades. Written by Popovic. Directed by Popovic and Alexandros Potter. (1:25) NR.

“Monsters University” — At a college for scary creatures, a one-eyed green monster’s newfound rivalry with a furry blue beast jeopardizes both their career paths in this prequel to the 2001 animated movie “Monsters Inc.” With the voices of Billy Crystal, John Goodman, Steve Buscemi and Helen Mirren. Written by Daniel Gerson, Robert L. Baird and Dan Scanlon. Directed by Scanlon. In 3-D. (1:35) G.

“Rushlights” — A con-artist couple travel to a small Texas town to lay false claim to a dead friend’s inheritance and get caught in a web of greed and betrayal. With Josh Henderson, Beau Bridges and Aidan Quinn. Written by Antoni Stutz and Ashley Scott Meyers. Directed by Stutz. (1:35) R.

“Somm” — A documentary following four men as they prepare for the demanding Master Sommelier Exam, which covers the nuances of wine, spirits and cigars and has been passed by fewer than 200 candidates since its inception nearly 40 years ago. Directed by Jason Wise. (1:33) NR.

“The Stroller Strategy” — A Parisian manchild who finds himself looking after a baby pretends to be the child’s father to win back the girlfriend who dumped him before. With Raphael Personnaz, Charlotte Le Bon and Jerome Commandeur. Written and directed by Clement Michel. In French with English subtitles. (1:30) NR.

“Unfinished Song” — An old curmudgeon joins an unconventional local singing group to please his ailing, beloved wife. With Terence Stamp, Gemma Arterton and Vanessa Redgrave. Written and directed by Paul Andrew Williams. (1:36) PG-13.

“World War Z” — A former U.N. troubleshooter traverses the globe in a race to stop a pandemic that is toppling armies and governments and threatening to destroy humanity. With Brad Pitt, Mireille Enos, James Badge Dale and Matthew Fox. Written by Matt Carnahan. Directed by Marc Forster. (1:50) PG-13.

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ALSO IN THEATERS

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“After Earth” — A thousand years after cataclysmic events forced humanity’s evacuation of Earth, a teenage boy and his father crash-land on the planet and must signal for help while braving uncharted territory and dangerous creatures. With Jaden Smith and Will Smith. Written by Gary Whitta and M. Night Shyamalan. Directed by Shyamalan. (1:40) PG-13.

“The Croods” — In this animated film, a prehistoric family embarks on a journey to find a new home after their cave is destroyed. With the voices of Nicolas Cage, Ryan Reynolds, Emma Stone and Catherine Keener. Written and directed by Kirk DeMicco and Chris Sanders. In 3-D. (1:32) PG.

“Epic” — In this animated movie, a teenage girl is shrunk and transported to a fantastic realm where she joins a band of warriors to defend the natural world from destruction. With the voices of Amanda Seyfried, Colin Farrell, Josh Hutcherson and Christoph Waltz. Written by James V. Hart, William Joyce, Dan Shere, Tom J. Astle and Matt Ember. Directed by Chris Wedge. In 3-D. (1:42) PG.

“Fast & Furious 6” — A federal agent recruits an expert wheelman and his outlaw racing crew to help take down an international gang of mercenary drivers in exchange for full pardons. With Vin Diesel, Paul Walker, Dwayne Johnson and Jordana Brewster. Written by Chris Morgan. Directed by Justin Lin. (2:10) PG-13.

“42” — A biopic about the legendary ballplayer Jackie Robinson, who broke Major League Baseball’s color barrier when he joined the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947. With Chadwick Boseman, Harrison Ford, Nicole Beharie and Christopher Meloni. Written and directed by Brian Helgeland. (2:08) PG-13.

“The Great Gatsby” — In the Roaring ‘20s, a Midwestern writer is drawn into the world of New York City’s upper crust, including his socialite cousin; her philandering husband; and an enigmatic, party-throwing playboy. With Leonardo DiCaprio, Tobey Maguire, Carey Mulligan and Joel Edgerton. Written by Baz Luhrmann and Craig Pearce. Directed by Luhrmann. In 3-D. (2:21) PG-13.

“The Hangover Part III” — Having barely survived two previous nights of utter mayhem — first in Las Vegas, then in Thailand — friends reunite for yet another misadventure. With Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms, Zach Galifianakis and Ken Jeong. Written by Todd Phillips and Craig Mazin. Directed by Phillips. (1:40) R.

“The Internship” — Two old-school salesmen talk their way into coveted internships at Google in an attempt to restart their flagging careers in the digital age. With Vince Vaughn, Owen Wilson and Rose Byrne. Written by Vaughn and Jared Stern. Directed by Shawn Levy. (1:59) PG-13.

“Iron Man 3” — The playboy industrialist and armored superhero Tony Stark, aka Iron Man, is brought to the brink of destruction by a new enemy known as the Mandarin. With Robert Downey Jr., Ben Kingsley, Gwyneth Paltrow and Don Cheadle. Written by Drew Pearce and Shane Black. Directed by Black. In 3-D and Imax. PG-13. (2:05)

“Man of Steel” — A young man with miraculous powers discovers he is not of this Earth and becomes a hero in this adaptation of the Superman mythos. With Henry Cavill, Amy Adams, Michael Shannon and Kevin Costner. Written by David S. Goyer. Directed by Zack Snyder. In 3-D and Imax. (2:23) PG-13.

“Mud” — Two boys find a fugitive hiding out on an island in the Mississippi River and pledge to help him reunite with his girl and escape. With Matthew McConaughey, Tye Sheridan, Sam Shepard and Reese Witherspoon. Written and directed by Jeff Nichols. (2:10) PG-13.

“Now You See Me” — An FBI squad goes after a quartet of professional illusionists who fleece corrupt businessmen during their performances and shower the stolen profits on their audiences. With Jesse Eisenberg, Mark Ruffalo and Woody Harrelson. Written by Ed Solomon, Boaz Yakin and Edward Ricourt. Directed by Louis Leterrier. (1:56) PG-13.

“Oz the Great and Powerful” — 3/8 A small-time circus magician finds himself hurled from Kansas to the fantastical land of Oz, where he tries to transform himself into a great wizard. With James Franco, Mila Kunis, Rachel Weisz and Michelle Williams. Written by Mitchell Kapner and David Lindsay-Abaire. Directed by Sam Raimi. In 3-D. (2:10) PG.

“The Purge” — In an America where the government has sanctioned an annual night on which all crime is legal for 12 hours, a family in a gated community is drawn into chaos when a stranger comes knocking. With Ethan Hawke, Lena Headey and Adelaide Kane. Written and directed by James DeMonaco. (1:25) R.

“This Is the End” — A group of Hollywood actor friends take shelter together and try to survive when the apocalypse interrupts their house party. With James Franco, Jonah Hill, Seth Rogen and Jay Baruchel. Written and directed by Rogen and Evan Goldberg. (1:47) R.

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“Aliyah” — A 27-year-old Parisian drug dealer tries to escape his life of crime by moving to Tel Aviv with his cousin but first must earn enough money to accomplish his aliyah, the formal process of Jewish immigration to Israel. With Pio Marmai, Adele Haenel and Cedric Kahn. Written by Elie Wajeman and Gaelle Mace. Directed by Wajeman. In French with English subtitles. (1:30) NR.

“Between Us” — Tensions mount when a pair of newlywed New Yorkers visit their old friends, a couple in the Midwest — and flare up again when the four reunite a few years later. With Taye Diggs, Melissa George and David Harbour. Written by Joe Hortua and Dan Mirvish. Directed by Mirvish. (1:31) NR.

“Call Me Kuchu” — A documentary following Ugandan gay-rights activist David Kato and retired Anglican Bishop Christopher Senyonjo as they work to defeat a bill threatening to make homophobia punishable by death. Directed by Katherine Fairfax Wright and Malika Zouhali-Worrall. In English and Luganda, with English subtitles. (1:27) NR.

“Far Out Isn’t Far Enough: The Tomi Ungerer Story” — A documentary about the life and work of the children’s book author and illustrator Tomi Ungerer. Directed by Brad Bernstein. (1:38) NR.

“A Hijacking” — When a Danish cargo ship is hijacked by Somali pirates in the Indian Ocean, the CEO of the shipping company engages in a grueling negotiation. With Soren Malling, Pilou Asbaek and Dar Salim. Written and directed by Tobias Lindholm. In Danish and English, with English subtitles. (1:39) R.

“L.A. Superheroes” — An aging model and actress in Los Angeles is forced to operate outside the law to get her green card and struggles to stay afloat with the help of her pizza-delivering best friend. With Yelena Popovic and Alexander Zisiades. Written by Popovic. Directed by Popovic and Alexandros Potter. (1:25) NR.

“Monsters University” — At a college for scary creatures, a one-eyed green monster’s newfound rivalry with a furry blue beast jeopardizes both their career paths in this prequel to the 2001 animated movie “Monsters Inc.” With the voices of Billy Crystal, John Goodman, Steve Buscemi and Helen Mirren. Written by Daniel Gerson, Robert L. Baird and Dan Scanlon. Directed by Scanlon. In 3-D. (1:35) G.

“Rushlights” — A con-artist couple travel to a small Texas town to lay false claim to a dead friend’s inheritance and get caught in a web of greed and betrayal. With Josh Henderson, Beau Bridges and Aidan Quinn. Written by Antoni Stutz and Ashley Scott Meyers. Directed by Stutz. (1:35) R.

“Somm” — A documentary following four men as they prepare for the demanding Master Sommelier Exam, which covers the nuances of wine, spirits and cigars and has been passed by fewer than 200 candidates since its inception nearly 40 years ago. Directed by Jason Wise. (1:33) NR.

“The Stroller Strategy” — A Parisian manchild who finds himself looking after a baby pretends to be the child’s father to win back the girlfriend who dumped him before. With Raphael Personnaz, Charlotte Le Bon and Jerome Commandeur. Written and directed by Clement Michel. In French with English subtitles. (1:30) NR.

“Unfinished Song” — An old curmudgeon joins an unconventional local singing group to please his ailing, beloved wife. With Terence Stamp, Gemma Arterton and Vanessa Redgrave. Written and directed by Paul Andrew Williams. (1:36) PG-13.

“World War Z” — A former U.N. troubleshooter traverses the globe in a race to stop a pandemic that is toppling armies and governments and threatening to destroy humanity. With Brad Pitt, Mireille Enos, James Badge Dale and Matthew Fox. Written by Matt Carnahan. Directed by Marc Forster. (1:50) PG-13.

———

ALSO IN THEATERS

———

“After Earth” — A thousand years after cataclysmic events forced humanity’s evacuation of Earth, a teenage boy and his father crash-land on the planet and must signal for help while braving uncharted territory and dangerous creatures. With Jaden Smith and Will Smith. Written by Gary Whitta and M. Night Shyamalan. Directed by Shyamalan. (1:40) PG-13.

“The Croods” — In this animated film, a prehistoric family embarks on a journey to find a new home after their cave is destroyed. With the voices of Nicolas Cage, Ryan Reynolds, Emma Stone and Catherine Keener. Written and directed by Kirk DeMicco and Chris Sanders. In 3-D. (1:32) PG.

“Epic” — In this animated movie, a teenage girl is shrunk and transported to a fantastic realm where she joins a band of warriors to defend the natural world from destruction. With the voices of Amanda Seyfried, Colin Farrell, Josh Hutcherson and Christoph Waltz. Written by James V. Hart, William Joyce, Dan Shere, Tom J. Astle and Matt Ember. Directed by Chris Wedge. In 3-D. (1:42) PG.

“Fast & Furious 6” — A federal agent recruits an expert wheelman and his outlaw racing crew to help take down an international gang of mercenary drivers in exchange for full pardons. With Vin Diesel, Paul Walker, Dwayne Johnson and Jordana Brewster. Written by Chris Morgan. Directed by Justin Lin. (2:10) PG-13.

“42” — A biopic about the legendary ballplayer Jackie Robinson, who broke Major League Baseball’s color barrier when he joined the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947. With Chadwick Boseman, Harrison Ford, Nicole Beharie and Christopher Meloni. Written and directed by Brian Helgeland. (2:08) PG-13.

“The Great Gatsby” — In the Roaring ‘20s, a Midwestern writer is drawn into the world of New York City’s upper crust, including his socialite cousin; her philandering husband; and an enigmatic, party-throwing playboy. With Leonardo DiCaprio, Tobey Maguire, Carey Mulligan and Joel Edgerton. Written by Baz Luhrmann and Craig Pearce. Directed by Luhrmann. In 3-D. (2:21) PG-13.

“The Hangover Part III” — Having barely survived two previous nights of utter mayhem — first in Las Vegas, then in Thailand — friends reunite for yet another misadventure. With Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms, Zach Galifianakis and Ken Jeong. Written by Todd Phillips and Craig Mazin. Directed by Phillips. (1:40) R.

“The Internship” — Two old-school salesmen talk their way into coveted internships at Google in an attempt to restart their flagging careers in the digital age. With Vince Vaughn, Owen Wilson and Rose Byrne. Written by Vaughn and Jared Stern. Directed by Shawn Levy. (1:59) PG-13.

“Iron Man 3” — The playboy industrialist and armored superhero Tony Stark, aka Iron Man, is brought to the brink of destruction by a new enemy known as the Mandarin. With Robert Downey Jr., Ben Kingsley, Gwyneth Paltrow and Don Cheadle. Written by Drew Pearce and Shane Black. Directed by Black. In 3-D and Imax. PG-13. (2:05)

“Man of Steel” — A young man with miraculous powers discovers he is not of this Earth and becomes a hero in this adaptation of the Superman mythos. With Henry Cavill, Amy Adams, Michael Shannon and Kevin Costner. Written by David S. Goyer. Directed by Zack Snyder. In 3-D and Imax. (2:23) PG-13.

“Mud” — Two boys find a fugitive hiding out on an island in the Mississippi River and pledge to help him reunite with his girl and escape. With Matthew McConaughey, Tye Sheridan, Sam Shepard and Reese Witherspoon. Written and directed by Jeff Nichols. (2:10) PG-13.

“Now You See Me” — An FBI squad goes after a quartet of professional illusionists who fleece corrupt businessmen during their performances and shower the stolen profits on their audiences. With Jesse Eisenberg, Mark Ruffalo and Woody Harrelson. Written by Ed Solomon, Boaz Yakin and Edward Ricourt. Directed by Louis Leterrier. (1:56) PG-13.

“Oz the Great and Powerful” — 3/8 A small-time circus magician finds himself hurled from Kansas to the fantastical land of Oz, where he tries to transform himself into a great wizard. With James Franco, Mila Kunis, Rachel Weisz and Michelle Williams. Written by Mitchell Kapner and David Lindsay-Abaire. Directed by Sam Raimi. In 3-D. (2:10) PG.

“The Purge” — In an America where the government has sanctioned an annual night on which all crime is legal for 12 hours, a family in a gated community is drawn into chaos when a stranger comes knocking. With Ethan Hawke, Lena Headey and Adelaide Kane. Written and directed by James DeMonaco. (1:25) R.

“This Is the End” — A group of Hollywood actor friends take shelter together and try to survive when the apocalypse interrupts their house party. With James Franco, Jonah Hill, Seth Rogen and Jay Baruchel. Written and directed by Rogen and Evan Goldberg. (1:47) R.